Subhash Chandra Bose's 117th birth anniversary today

The nation celebrated the 117th birth anniversary of legendary freedom fighter Netaji Subhas Chandra Bose who was a shining hero of our war of independence. The 117th birthanniversary of Netaji Subhas Chandra Bose, the forgotten hero of the Indian independence struggle, celebrated on 23rd January.

Subhas Chandra Bose's birth anniversary is celebrated every year with the great honour by the people including government and non-government organisations in Kolkata, as he was one of the most well-known Indian leaders during the independence movement and has become a great legendary figure in the history of India.

Netaji's followers have demanded that his birth anniversary be celebrated as 'Desh Prem Divas' on a national scale in order to remember his great sacrifice towards the country. Though the West Bengal government is said to be celebrating the day as 'Desh Prem Divas', there still has been no initiative from the Central Government to mark the day as a special occasion.

Netaji's followers say there are many far lesser mortals whose birthday is being celebrated as someday or the other but not of this man who for long fought a battle for independence on his own. Government's apathy towards one of the greatest sons of India, they say, has many a times befuddled the billion plus population of the country, but no headway seems to have been achieved in making the man receive the glory he so rightly deserves.

He doesn't have a political legacy to advocate his case in the corridors of power, but his actions and patriotism has forever left an indelible imprint in the hearts of the common man who still love for what he managed to do. Awards and recognition can only externally accentuate the place that he has managed to build in the heart of every patriotic Indian, but the lack of them though immaterial to his followers does indeed present the government and the country in poor light.

Bose, who advocated complete independence for India at the earliest as opposed to the All-India Congress Committee which wanted it in phases, through Dominion status, was born on 23rd January, 1897 in Cuttack.

Right from the very beginning he was a brilliant student and fiercely patriotic.

As was the convention then he appeared for the Civil Services exams and passed out with flying colours. But serving the British was the last thing in his mind. Serving a house-arrest, he quite amazingly slipped from the ruthless British government and went from Hitler to Mussolini to seek their support in overthrowing the British from India.

He persevered for long, before eventually managing to form the Indian National Army (INA) that consisted of the POWs of the World War.

Limited in resources, his sharp rhetoric inspired thousands to fight for the independence of India. Such was his oratory skills and the fervour to liberate India that in no time, he managed to raise an army of more than a million who walked all the way from Japan to India forgoing food, water and proper rest. They had limited ammunition and the daunting prospect of facing a mighty army, but it was Netaji's sincere dedication that ensured the zeal never wavered.  After initial victory, they gradually began to lose, but not for once did they beat a retreat. Netaji is then said to have died in aircrash, when he was on his way to Japan to seek arms and ammunition.